What’s a “Retirement Community” All About?  By Stan Sylvester

            Are you looking ahead to the possibility of moving to a retirement community? Jean and I started thinking ahead when we were in 
our seventies and we actually made the move about five years ago. We have learned a lot about the process and by sharing some of my
thoughts and observations; I hope I may help other Unum Retirees considering “the move.”

DownEast magazine publishes a retirement guide  every couple of years, the most recent version  being included as part of their February 2012 issue. They list in tabular form the 44 retirement communities in Maine, comparing facilities, services, prices and  many other categories. I urge you to look up the  DownEast article. If you don’t have access to it, call  me (729-4560) or e-mail  me at  StanAtHighlands@aol.com   and I’ll send you a photocopy. Also, every retirement  community has a website where you can obtain great  information without leaving your home.

                  At the Unum Retirees’ picnic on June 19, I mentioned the subject of moving to a retirement community. Audrey Davis
and Bertha Gardiner pointed out that there is a great alternative -- to simply stay at home and hire outside help to come in. That’s
certainly a perfectly good option, the missing pieces being the socialization and education and entertainment which are available
in a retirement community. 

         I was surprised that only 44 retirement communities exist in Maine until I realized that many facilities are “Senior Housing,” 
simply apartments rented to persons over a certain age but without the personal care services or the meals which are part of a 
Congregate Retirement Community.

         When we started looking at retirement communities, we were not clear about “independent living” and “assisted living.” 
We now know that independent living is just that; one usually receives one meal a day and many basic services; the residents 
are completely free to come and go as they wish. Management compares it to living at home but without the homeowners’ 
expenses and responsibilities.

         Assisted living, on the other hand, is much more involved. Usually one receives three meals a day, laundry, medication 
supervision, bathing, dressing, and many more services. And of course, because of the greater number of services, the costs 
are more.

         Then there are skilled medical care and nursing homes where complete care is rendered. A sub-set of this third level 
of total care are the dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease units.

         At The Highlands where we live and in many other facilities, independent living can be in on-campus houses or 
condominiums or in a central building such as we chose. Jean and I prefer the central building (at The Highlands it is called
the Maine Lodge) because we can rent our apartment instead of buying-in as is true at many places. Also, one major meal 
and a Continental breakfast are included in our rent. All the services are centered here: the movies and other entertainment,
the swimming pool, the gym, the bank, the beauty parlor, the podiatrist, the tax expert, the courses given by Senior College.

         My advice to anyone looking around: visit several retirement communities in an area where you’d like to live; compare 
each by looking at the table in DownEast and with your own evaluations. If you find a place you like, don’t be afraid to “dicker”. 
You can ask for things to be done for free before you move in that you probably will have to pay for after you are a resident. 
Ask for high-rise toilets if your unit has regular height toilets, or request a cut-out bathtub to facilitate getting in and out of the
shower, or stress screening of the porch if yours is unscreened.

         As I’ve said in my prior writings, if any Unum Retiree would like to visit The Highlands to see what our retirement
community is like, I invite you to come for dinner or for Sunday brunch. Just call me or send me an e-mail and we’ll arrange 
a convenient time.

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